Aircel-Maxis case: ED attaches Rs 742 crore assets of Maran brothers

The Enforcement Directorate (ED) attached assets worth Rs 742.58 crore in the name of former telecom minister Dayanidhi Maran, his businessman-brother Kalanithi and other family members facing allegations of money laundering in the Aircel-Maxis deal case on Wednesday.

The agency, which had questioned the Maran brothers more than once in the last few months, issued the attachment order under the provisions of the Prevention of Money Laundering Act.

Among the assets attached are a huge amount of fixed deposits (FDs) and mutual funds held largely by Sun TV Managing Director Kalanithi.

Some assets of Kalanithi Maran's wife Kaveri have also been attached. The individual assets include FDs held by Dayanidhi and others worth Rs 7.47 crore, FD worth Rs 100 crore and mutual funds worth Rs 2.78 crore held by Kalanithi. His wife's FDs worth Rs 1.30 crore and mutual funds of Rs 1.78 crore were attached as well.

According to an official order, illegal gratification of Rs 742.58 crore was paid by companies based in Mauritius for Dayanidhi in two companies Ms Sun Direct TV Private Limited (SDTPL) and Ms South Asia FM Limited (SAFL). These two companies are owned and controlled by Kalanithi. The money has been utilised by the companies in their business or investment.

The investigation under PMLA has further revealed that promoters of the SDTPL are Kalanithi and Kaveri. These two persons are holding 80 per cent shares of SDTPL. The shareholders of SAFL are Ms Sun TV Network Limited (60 per cent) and 20 per cent each are Ms AH Multisoft Private Limited and Ms South Asia Multimedia Technologies Limited Mauritius.